Brake mechanism for railway-cars



No. 607,920. Patented July 26, I898. w. E. ELLIOTT; BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1891.)

(Nq Model.)

ms NORRIS PETERS 0a., mom-uwoqwAsl-gmnromo. c

meral 5 designate the car-trucks.

- and a part 6 T ES.

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersIPatent No. 607,920, dated July 26, 1898. Application filed September 21, 1897. Serial No. 652,444. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER EL ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Railway-Cars; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri ption of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked there on, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in brake mechanism for railway-cars; and it 0011- sists of the features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully understood'by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an underneath view of two cars equipped with myimproved brake mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. .3 is a perspective view in detail illustrating the pivoted floating frame forming an important part of my brake mechanism.

Similar reference characters indicating cor responding parts in the views, let the nu- As shown in the drawings, each truck iscomposed of a single pair of wheels and each car is equipped with two trucks. Between these two trucks of each caris located the floating frame 6, composed of two parts 6, two parts 6, a part 6, As shown in the drawings, the two parts 6, the part 6 and the part 6 are formed double. The outer extremity of each part 6 is pivoted to the adjacent extremity of a part 6 as shown at A. The opposite extremities of the two parts 6 are pivoted to the respective extremities of the part 6 as shown at B. The extremities of the two parts 6 remote from the points A are pivoted to the respective extremities of the parts 6, as shown at C. The two parts 6 and 6 cross each other, andthe said frame parts form two quadrilateral figures diagonally located. The angles of these figures ,vary according to circumstances during the use of the device.

The part 6 carries two sheaves 6 located on opposite sidesof the point where the two parts 6 and 6 intersect. When the device 6 is in use, it is movably.supported underneath the body of the car in such a manner that it will allow it to move bodily back and forth during use and as circumstances may require. As shownin the drawings, the part 6 of each device 6 is provided with two links 7, which engage a hanger-bar 8, attached to the bodyof the car. The bar 8 is of sufficient length to allow the device 6 the necessary movement during use. Thetwo sheaves 6 are connected bya rope, chain, or cable, which passes around the sheaves on opposite sides.

The respective extremities of this cable are attached to the rods 10, whose outer extremities are respectively connectedwith levers 30, upon which are mountedt he transverse beams 12, carrying the brake-shoes 13, engaging the wheels of each truck.

Connected with each part 6 of the device 6 is a rod 1 1, to whose outer extremity are attached two chains 15 and 16. The chains 15 lead to the cams 17 of the rotatable brakestaffs 18. The length ofthese cams is such that they will take up all the slack in-the brake mechanism of a single car at a partial rotation of the staff. Hence this cam of the brake-staff is a very important feature, as it greatly facilitates the setting of the brakes. The chains 16 at the adjacent extremities of any two adjoining cars are connected in order to transmit the power between cars. If there is no adjoining car, the chain 16 is made fast to the end of the'car to give the necessary resistance in operating thebrake mechanism.

Instead ofemploying the rod 14 and the chain 16 a single chain 27 may be used (see left half of Fig. 1) and passed around two sheaves 28, mounted on a bar 19, pivoted on the car-body, as shown at 20. The outer extremity of the chain is attachedtothe car end or to the corresponding chain of the adjoining car, as the case may be. In this case chains 21 lead from the respective extremities of the sheave-bar 19 to the respective cams of the brake-staffs 18, mounted on the opposite ends of the car. The pivoted sheavebar 19 and its connections may be employed or not, as desired.

In taking up the slack in the brake mechanism of a number of cars it will be necessary that the device 6 move bodily in one direction or the other, as the case may be. Hence it must have no point fast on the car to prevent this movement.

It will be observed that the parts of the floating frame are connected on the lazy-tongs principle; also, that the horizontal openings in the supporting-links 7 must be of sufficient length to allow the parts 6 the necessary movement during use.

The operation of my improved brake mechanism is as follows: As the brake-staff 18 is rotated power is applied to one part 6 of the floating frame through the instrumentality of the chain 15 and the rod 14:, referring to theright-hand part of Fig. 1. This movement of the brake-staff will take up the slack in the brake mechanism of the several cars, the floating frame 6 moving bodily far enough to permit this. The power exerted by a single brake-staff and acting on the adjacent floating frame is communicated to the floating frame of the next car through the medium of another rod 14, which is connected with the other part 6 of the floating frame and a chain 16 at the opposite end of the car, this chain 16 being connected with another chain 16, located at the adjacent end of the next car, and another rod 14, which is connected with a part 6 of the frame 6 of the second car or that farther to the left in Figs. 1 and 2. After the slack is taken up in the manner described the floating frames will be actuated after the manner of a lazy-tongs construction. This movement will throw the two sheaves 6 of each frame 6 in opposite directions and apply power to the brake-beams 12 through the medium of the rods 10 and the cables engaging the sheaves? If the bar 19 is used, the power exerted on the brake-staff is communicated to the extremities of the bar 19 through the medium of the chains 21, the bar 19 being thus moved on its pivot, whereby itssheaves 28 are thrown in opposite directions and the power applied to the floating frames through the medium of the cable 27, engaging the sheaves 28.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a brake mechanism, the combination with suitable devices for engaging the carwheels, of a floating frame located between the car-trucks and adapted to move bodily in the one direction or the other as may be required, said frame being composed of two crossed parts 6 and 6 two parts G and two parts 6, the extremities of the part 6 being respectively pivoted to one extremity of each part 6, the said parts 6 extending in opposite directions from the part 6, each of the parts 6 connecting one extremity of a part 6 with one extremity of the part 6 two pulleys or sheaves mounted on the part 6 and located on opposite sides of the point Where the parts 6 and 6 intersect, a suitable connection leading fromeach part 6 to a similar connection on the adjoining car, or to a stationary support on the end of the same car as the case may be, a suitable connection leading from the wheel-engaging devices of the trucks and engaging the pulleys or sheaves of the floating frame, a brake-staff, and a suitable connection between the brake-staff and the floating frame for actuating the latter and setting the brakes.

2. In a brake mechanism, the combination with suitable devices for engaging the carwheels, of a floating frame composed of six members connected on the lazy-tongs principle, said frame being located between the two trucks of the car and adapted to move bodily in either direction as required,two pulleys or sheaves mounted on one of the crossed members of said frame, a suitable connection leading from each of the two oppositelydisposed parts 6 to corresponding members of the floating frame of the opposite car, or to a support on the end of the same car as the case may be, a suitable connection between the wheel-engaging devices of the two trucks, said connection engaging the sheaves of the floating frame, and suitable means for actuating the floating frame and setting the brakes.

3. In a brake mechanism, the combination with suitable devices for engaging the carwheels, of a floating frame composed of members connected on the lazy-tongs principle, said frame being located between the two trucks of the car and adapted to move bodily in either direction as required, two pulleys or sheaves mounted on one of the crossed members of said frame, a suitable connection leading from each of the two oppositely-disposed parts to corresponding members of the floating frame of the opposite car or to a support on the end of the same car as the case may be, an intermediate pivoted bar having sheaves engaged by said connection, a suitable connection between the wheel-engaging devices of the two trucks, said connection engaging the sheaves of the floating frame, and suitable means connected with the pivoted sheave-bar for actuating the floating frame and setting the brakes.

In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER E. ELLIOTT. WVit'nesses:

G. J. ROLLANDET, EDITH I'IIMSWORTH. 

